


Playing With The Soul

by churros_liz



Series: JATP Stories & Oneshots [2]
Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Alex and Reggie's parents are mentioned, Alive Alex & Luke Patterson & Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Domestic Fluff, F/M, First Meetings, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Julie is a 90s kid, Julie works at the Orpheum, Julie's mom is also alive, M/M, bobby is carrie's cousin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:21:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27613393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/churros_liz/pseuds/churros_liz
Summary: Julie meets a new band with great potential and warns them to not eat the street hotdogs that are being sold in the back alleyway.
Relationships: Alex & Bobby | Trevor Wilson & Julie Molina & Luke Patterson & Reggie, Alex & Luke Patterson & Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms), Alex/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Carlos Molina & Julie Molina & Ray Molina & Reggie & Aunt Victoria, Flynn & Kayla & Julie Molina & Carrie Wilson, Flynn/Carrie Wilson, Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Series: JATP Stories & Oneshots [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2018815
Comments: 32
Kudos: 268





	1. Food Poisoning

Her manager is going to yell at her. She was supposed to be wiping down tables for tonight’s performance, but she spent her time watching the band perform their soundcheck instead. It was just soundcheck, they didn’t need to go so hard on the performance, but they did so anyway. That’s how she could tell that these guys were pouring their soul into their music. She can recognize passionate musicians when she sees them. Her parents were artists themselves, and they always taught her what it meant to love music. And these guys…

These guys love music.

She clapped when they finished their song. They were covered in sweat and were smiling wide, talking about how they finally made it. She smiled at their enthusiasm. They got down from the stage, planning on going to get some food before the show, when one of the members made their way toward her.

“Hey, Bobby, where are you going?” The lead singer called out to the rhythm guitarist.

“I’m good” He waved them off, smiling at her. “I’m a vegetarian. I could hurt an animal”

“That’s bull. I saw you down a whole hamburger at Carrie’s party” She huffed out a laugh. Bobby’s eyes widened at the mention of his cousin’s name. His confused expression just made her laugh even more. Clearly, he doesn’t remember her. She lifted her hair up into pigtails, the same way she wore them when she was little. “I don’t have my glasses with me, but it’s me. Julie Molina?”

“Oh my gosh! Julie!” Bobby’s jaw dropped. “I’m so sorry for not recognizing you - both here and at Carrie’s party”

Julie shrugged. “It’s fine. You were busy eating hamburgers”

The two laughed, confusing the other band members even more. They’ve known Bobby since middle school and they’ve never seen or heard of Julie before. Julie noticed their confused expressions. 

“Don’t worry. Bobby and I aren’t that close” She explained. “If we were, I would have known that he was in one of the best rock bands way sooner”

Which was true. Julie is only acquainted with Bobby through his cousin, who happens to be one of her neighbors. Julie, Carrie, and their other friend Flynn have been together since her family first moved to Los Angeles. The two girls were her first friends. Due to some misunderstandings, Flynn and Julie had a fall out with Carrie that resulted in them not talking for a year. 

That could be the reason why Bobby didn’t recognize her. Carrie must have stopped mentioning her name during family outings. They did reconcile last week though. So maybe it’s just Bobby not being perceptive - which is a common occurrence. He’s forgotten who Julie and Flynn are a dozen times before to the point that they joked about getting those ‘Hello. My name is’ stickers.

“Thank you. We’re Sunset Curve. Tell your friends” The bassist winked.

“Dude” Bobby slapped his shoulders. “She’s friends with my cousin”

“Oh, so we’re just going to pretend that you just didn’t try to flirt with her?” The lead singer smirked. Bobby’s cheeks flushed red as he muttered for him to shut up.

“I’m sorry about them.” The drummer shook his head in disappointment. “I’m Alex, and that’s Reggie and Luke”

“Nice to meet you guys” Julie smiled. “And I meant what I said earlier about you guys being one of the best bands. I see a lot of them, and I could tell that you guys are really into it. I respect that”

“That’s why we do this,” Luke smiled. “To connect with people”

“Well, I can tell you guys are doing a great job at that” Julie nodded her head. “There’s no doubt in my mind that you guys are going to be big one day”

“In that case” Reggie pulled out a CD and t-shirt from his bag. “Here’s our demo and shirt. That way you can say you knew us when”

“Thanks” She unfolded the shirt to see the band’s logo plastered on the center. “I’ll make sure not to wipe the tables with this one”

“Good call because whenever they get wet, they just kinda fall apart in your hands” Alex held out his hands in demonstration. Julie laughed at the explanation.

“Hey, we’re getting some street dogs. Do you want to come with?” Luke leaned across the table. 

She won’t lie. Luke was the one that had first caught her eyes when the guys came out. All of the guys are attractive, but there's something about Luke's messy brown hair that was sticking to his face, and his muscles were bulging as he played the guitar, that really grabbed her attention. But his voice was one of the most attractive. The way he sang with every fiber in his being, expressing the meaning behind every lyric, and spreading his passion into the entire building, all of it was just mind blowing to her.

“I would, but I heard a lot of people end up getting food poisoning from the guy out there” She scrunched her face in disgust. “Plus I have to finish wiping down these tables in time for your show. I don’t want Caleb to fire me before I could talk him into letting me perform here”

“You’re in a band?” Luke raised a brow.

“No. I’m a solo pianist and songwriter” She explained. “I just haven’t had the time to fully show people my talent”

“I saw a piano in the back” He pointed in the direction where the Orpheum stashes extra instruments. “Maybe we can go jam before the -”

“Bro, what happened to getting street dogs?” Bobby pulled his friend back.

“She just warned about the food poisoning” Luke turned to him. “Who knows what would have happened if we got them. She practically saved the show and our lives. The least we can do is see what she’s capable of as a musician”

“Riiight” Alex gave a knowing look to his other bandmates. They all nodded in silence. Luke shook his head, choosing to ignore them.

“So, what do you say?” Luke leaned forward again. “Want to jam with us?”

“Uh” She stared at the other band members. They all just shrugged, not bothering to hide their interest in wanting to hang out with her. They do seem like chill people to hang with. She glanced down at her watch. “I have a break in five minutes, and there’s a McDonald's right across the street so you can still get some food”

“Sounds like a plan, boss” He smiled, biting his lower lip, as he leaned away. 

Julie watched them walk away with smiles on their faces. She shook her head. She’s known Bobby for a long time now, but there was something about the other three guys that she just liked. Alex seemed like the reasonable one, but she’s almost certain that he isn’t as put together as he presents himself to be. Reggie seems to be the goofball of the group, and Julie can just tell that he is the sweetest boy. And Luke… Julie thinks she would get along the most with Luke.

Now she can’t wait until her break is over. She really wants to befriend these boys.


	2. Chicken Nuggets

Luke couldn’t stop smiling. The boys were teasing him over his interaction with Julie, but he quickly shut them down by changing the topic back to their performance. Playing the Orpheum has been their dream from the moment they formed Sunset Curve. This is their chance of making it big and getting their name out in the world. This is his chance to prove to his parents that pursuing music was worth it.

They walked back to the venue, McDonald’s meals in hands and excitement building up inside all four of the boys. When they got inside the venue, Luke scanned the place for the girl they just met. He spotted her at the bar, laughing while she talked to one of her co-workers. Luke patted Reggie’s shoulder as they walked over to them.

“Hey” Julie turned to them and gestured to the guy standing behind the bar. “This is my co-worker - slash, friend - Willie. I was just telling him about your soundcheck”

“And judging by the way she rambled on, I’m looking forward to seeing you guys perform -” Willie locked his gaze on Alex. His smile brightened. “No way! Hotdog!”

Luke, Reggie, and Bobby looked at Alex with knowing looks. Their mischievous smiles and smirks made Alex internally die.

“You guys know each other?” Julie raised a brow.

“I’m guessing Willie, here, is the skater boy that crashed into you two days ago” Reggie wiggled his eyebrows. Julie understood what was happening at that moment. 

“Oh” She nodded her head. “So this is the cute blonde that you were talkin’ - Ouch”

Willie nudged her side, getting her to shut up. Luke chuckled at Alex’s reaction. His bandmate seemed to have become frozen in his spot. After their mutual break-up in their earlier years of high school, Luke hadn’t seen Alex get so flustered over a boy in a long time. It’s good to see someone else see how awesome the blonde drummer is. 

“Aren’t you guys supposed to be eating and jamming right now?” Willie’s smile made it clear that he meant that in the nicest way possible. 

Julie rolled her eyes and slapped her friend’s shoulder with the towel she had. He let out a small laugh while taking the towel. Luke grinned when Julie went to stand next to him. With a quick goodbye to Willie, they all walked to the backroom.

“I don’t know what your usual order is, but I got you chicken nuggets” Luke handed her a box full of the said meal. “And I figured you can never go wrong with nuggets”

"You didn't have to get me anything, but thank you" Julie giggled and nodded her head in approval. Luke felt himself stop thinking about the performance and food. His thoughts were only on the girl in front of him. He knew she was beautiful, but even her laugh sounded amazing. He should really stop thinking this way. He just met her and is already having a slight crush on her. Clearing his throat, he went ahead and sat beside Alex.

“So, Miss Julie, won’t you grace us with your piano skills?” Bobby gestured toward the keyboard in the corner. Alex and Luke gave him a questioning look. He just shrugged, mouthing ‘what.’

“Sure” Julie walked over to the instrument. She gave it a glance over, taking a deep breath. She ran her hands softly across the keys before placing them on the starting keys of the song she knows. The boys watched with anticipation. The melody soon filled the room. An overwhelming feeling of warmth and love resonated through the song. The song that her mother wrote. Her mother -

Her hands froze in place. The guys looked at each other with confused gazes. From the looks of it, it seemed that she was ready to sing. The song she was playing sounded good so far. It sounded like it was going to be a ballad. If only they could have heard more.

“I’m sorry” She blinked her small tears away and wiped the sweat of her palms on her jeans.

Luke stepped forward. “It’s alright. We can just hang out”

Her smile returned. It wasn't as big as the ones earlier, but it was still there. As much as he would have loved to know what happened, he knew that they just met and shouldn’t try to push her. She moved back to sit with them. They talked about many things as they ate. They told her how they met, formed their band, and shared some stuff about themselves. She told them how she got into music and some baseline information about herself as well. Then Willie came in to tell her that her break was over.

“Well,” She got up from her seat. “Can’t wait to see you guys go all-out again”

“We’ll see you later” Luke followed her out.

“Yeah. See you later” She waved.

He watched her walk back to the bar with Willie. A man had come out, a frown on his face. That must be Caleb. Julie's right. He does look mean.

“Luke”

“Coming”

\----

Cheers echoed through the Orpheum. The rushing feeling of adrenaline coursed through Luke’s veins. Managers and record execs lined up to meet them as soon as the band got off stage. This was it. They finally did it. Their music reached all of these people and now they’re going to be able connect with thousands more. They're going to finally prove all of those who doubted them wrong. The name Sunset Curve will soon be etched into people’s minds. Never to be forgotten.

His eyes spotted Julie from afar. She was nodding her head to the music behind the bar’s counter. Two girls were talking to her and Willie. He had noticed her while on stage. She was rocking out to their performance, her lips mouthing the lyrics to songs that he had shown her earlier. He even noticed that she had put on the t-shirt that Reggie gave her. The sight of her wearing the band’s merchandise only fueled his excitement.

“Yo, man, we should go out and celebrate” Luke grinned, placing all of the business cards he gathered into his wallet. They had all gone back to the green room to change into more comfortable clothing.

“I think we should talk about all of the offers we just got” Bobby chimed.

“Come on, Bobby” Luke rolled his eyes. “We just performed at the one place we all dreamed of! Let’s celebrate! Right, Alex? Reggie?”

“As long as I don’t wake up in a stranger’s bed tomorrow morning, I’m down” Alex sighed.

“There’s a club a couple of blocks from here” Reggie suggested, putting on a different t-shirt.

Luke stared at Bobby with a gaze that was just waiting for the other boy’s response. Bobby sighed and nodded his head. “Alright. Let’s go clubbing”

“Yes!”

They all exited the room. Bobby left to go get the van and make sure that all of their instruments were packed. Luke spotted Julie still talking to the two customers. They must be her friends - Wait. Is that Carrie? When did she get here? He patted Alex’s and Reggie’s back, nodding his head toward the girl’s direction. In a silent conversation, the three agreed to walk over.

“Hey, Julie” Luke called out to her. She glanced toward him, a small smile forming. “We’re going out to celebrate and we were wondering if you wanted to come with?”

Julie looked between them and her friends. She looked hesitant. They don’t blame her. If they were in her shoes, they too would feel slightly uncomfortable if a band they just met randomly invited them to a club. Well, Alex would be the one to feel uncomfortable. The other three are always down to party.

“Don’t worry. We just want an excuse to become friends with you” Reggie chuckled. Julie visibly relaxed.

“Only if my friends could come with” Julie gestured to the girls.

“Of course they could” Alex smiled, wrapping his arm around Carrie’s shoulder. “Do you really think I’m going clubbing without my best friend, Carrie? No, ma’am. I just can’t do that”

“Aww. Thanks, Alex” Carrie smiled. “I’m glad that at least one of you greeted me”

“First-of-all, I thought I was Alex’s best friend” Luke placed a hand to his “wounded” heart. “Second-of-all, sorry. My mind is pretty much everywhere”

“Well, since you guys already know Carrie. Let me introduce myself” The other girl held out her hand. “I’m Flynn, Julie’s best friend, and fellow partner-in-crime”

“Nice to meet you,” Reggie shook her hand. “We’re Sunset Curve”

“I know. I’ve been a fan of yours for like a year now” Flynn released her inner fangirl. “You guys killed it on stage”

“Thank you,” Reggie smiled.

“What’s going on here?” Willie walked up to them, putting the towel he was using onto his shoulder. Alex straightened up at the sight of the skater. He thought was being smooth about it, but almost all of them noticed his change of behavior.

“We’re going clubbing with the band. You’re coming too” Julie smirked.

“Alright. Just let me finish up wiping down the last few tables and I’ll meet you guys outside” Willie smiled, his eyes slowly meeting Alex’s. 

“Great job” Luke leaned in to whisper at her. “This would give us the perfect chance to set those two up”

“Mission Willex is a go” Julie winked before walking off. “I’m going to clock out. See you guys in a bit”

Luke couldn’t help the smile that grew on his lips once more. This girl sure is something else. He can’t wait to get to know her more.


	3. Making New Friends

The club scene in Hollywood is just as one would imagine it to be. Full of those people that some parents wouldn’t want their children to turn into. It wasn’t as bad as those parents think though. Adults and young adults, along with your fellow rouge teens who had entered with their fake IDs, were just dancing and partying the night away. Their bodies were consumed with the music, and their minds were set free from any stress that they’ve been experiencing.

The group of eight had managed to find a booth to sit at. Bobby and Reggie wasted no time flirting with the bartender while getting the group their drinks. Carrie had rolled her eyes at her cousin’s behavior. Luckily, Flynn had dragged her to the dance floor before she could nag. That just left Julie with Luke, Alex, and Willie. 

“So,” Luke had to raise his voice a little so they could hear, “It must be nice working at the Orpheum. You guys get to see awesome bands like all the time”

“Yeah, that’s true” Julie nodded. He could sense that there was a ‘but’ coming. She then gestured to Willie, letting him finish her thought.

“But our boss can be a pain in the ass” He smirked. “And I’m saying that as his son”

“Ouch,” Alex winced.

“He adopted me when I was, like, ten” Willie shrugged. “He’s not that bad as a dad. He’s just extra strict as a boss”

“I still remember that one time you threw a party at your place and he had walked in on us smoking weed, and he just said hi and left like nothing happened. Then, when we got to work, he was lecturing us for partying like that when we knew that we had to get to work early” Julie chuckled at the memory.

“Wow. And he didn’t ground you?” Alex asked.

“Oh no. He definitely grounded me” Willie nodded his head. “I wasn’t able to skate or have any ounce of fun for a week”

Luke had opened up his mouth to talk to Julie, but he was interrupted by Carrie and Flynn grabbing Julie and Alex to dance. The girls’ favorite song was playing, and Alex is never one to reject a dance from Carrie. Bobby and Reggie had returned with their drinks just as they had gone to the dance floor. They shared a glance with one another before taking their drinks and joining them on the dance floor.

Alex, who was laughing as Carrie twirled him, froze when he spotted Willie dancing next to him. His ears burned red when the skater smiled brightly at him. Luke nudged the drummer’s back, pushing him closer to Willie. Thankfully, Willie didn’t seem to mind and had grabbed Alex’s hand to twirl him. This made Alex relax enough to dance again. 

Julie tapped Luke’s shoulder and gave him a thumbs up. Luke couldn’t stop the smile forming on his lips the moment she had looked at him. He didn’t think much of it, of course. He was just happy that she approved of Alex and Willie being together. The smile definitely was not because he thought of how beautiful she looked while dancing - and she looked absolutely gorgeous dancing.

“You okay there, bud?” Bobby spoke into his ear so that only he could hear him. “You’re starting to have _that_ look”

Luke gave him a confused nod, telepathically asking ‘what look?’ Bobby just shook his head, patted Luke’s back, and laughed. That only confused Luke even more, but oh well. He’s not going to think much about it. Not when one of his best friends needs him to be a wingman. 

The song ended and they all moved back to the booth to enjoy their drinks. Laughing, they wiped away some of the sweat that they had built up. Julie had grabbed Luke’s arm, surprising him, and made him sit next to her. He was confused about this at first but soon realized that this made it so that Willie had to sit next to Alex. 

“To Sunset Curve,” Bobby held his glass up.

“To making new friends” Luke added, glancing at Julie. They all clinked their drinks together before drinking down their shots.

“I still can’t believe that I’m having drinks with one of my favorite underground bands,” Flynn put her glass down. “I feel like I should get your autographs before we leave”

“And then you could sell it in the future for like a million bucks!” Reggie high-fived her.

“More like they should get your autograph” Julie smirked, wrapping an arm around her best friend’s shoulder. “Flynn, here, is a DJ”

“And Julie is my amazing partner” Flynn nudged the girl’s shoulder. “We’re Double Trouble”

“I did not agree to that name”

“But Julie needs to get out of that funk of hers if she wants to continue making music” Carrie took a sip of her drink. 

“Carrie” Flynn rolled her eyes. 

Luke noticed the way Julie had slumped into her seat. He thought back to how she froze when she was playing for them. She was doing fine until the time to sing came. The topic of Julie’s “funk” made her and her friends shift to a more sober mood. It only made Luke and his boys confused.

“Hey, how come you call Alex hotdog?” Luke changed the subject and nodded his head toward Willie. That seemed to make everyone relax and Willie chuckled. Alex just groaned and buried his face in his hands.

“That’s because he was holding a hotdog when I crashed into him,” Willie explained, turning to Alex. “I feel so bad for ruining your shirt and your meal. Remind me to buy you one in return. What’s your number?”

“What? Oh. Uh.” Alex took out his phone. He stared at it for a second before handing it to Willie so he could put his number in. “Okay”

Luke and Julie had high-fived each other under the table. Bobby and Reggie were amazed at Willie’s smooth skills. Flynn took out five bucks from her purse and gave it to Carrie, who playfully stuck her tongue out while Flynn rolled her eyes. All of this went unnoticed by Alex and Willie. They were too busy focusing on each other.

“They’re going to have to thank us when they get married one day” Luke whispered to Julie. She glanced at him.

“I bet that, just like today, Willie would propose” She held her hand out to him. Luke just looked at her with a smile. He appreciated that she wasn’t grossed out by the idea of two men getting married - unlike some people he had met. He’s starting to like this girl even more. 

“Deal” He shook her hand. “I believe that Alex would have grown a pair by that time, so I’m rooting for him”

Julie giggled, shaking her head. Another favorite song of hers started to play. The girls and Alex had this look in their eyes that just told Luke that it was time to hit the dance floor again. This time, though, he stayed close to Julie. 

The night went on with more drinks, dancing, and conversations over music and random facts about their week. They were now stumbling out of the club with smiles on their faces and their arms linked together. With what felt like a short amount of time, but really it was 3:30 am now, the two groups of friends have become one close group.

“You guys are good to go by yourselves, right?” Alex turned to Willie.

“Don’t worry. We’re good” Willie rested her head on his shoulder, surprising him. Thank god that the drinks he had made cheeks flush so the skater wouldn’t notice the blush that crept its way on his face. Willie yawned, “I’m sober enough to drive us home safely. I’m quite the heavy-weight”

“As long as you guys are safe” Alex sighed.

Luke had turned to Julie when they reached their parking spots. He unwrapped his arm from hers, feeling the sense of warmth slowly disappearing, and placed his hands inside his pocket. He took a quick glance at everyone’s state. Bobby and Reggie were cuddling and practically ready to crash the moment their bodies hit the seats of the van. Carrie and Flynn were drunkenly having a thumb war and were in a similar state as the other two. Alex seemed to be sobering up as he exchanged goodbyes with Willie, who was the only one that looked semi-awake. Meanwhile, Julie was swaying side to side and silently humming a song.

Luke patted Bobby’s jacket and grabbed the keys to the van. Thankfully, he didn’t drink that much and was still riding on the high of performing at the Orpheum, so he was still wide-awake. He looked back to Julie as he opened the van for the boys to get in and rest. 

“It was fun hanging out with you guys” He smiled.

“I had fun too” She looked down at the ground, kicking a pebble.

“Yeah” He cleared his throat. “So, um, I was thinking we could do this again. Hang out, I mean.”

“That would be nice” She turned her gaze back at him and smiled. 

“Cool,” He took out a ripped piece of a napkin that he had written his phone number on when they were in the club. He held it out to her. “Here’s my number, in case you ever have time to hang”

“Thanks” She took the napkin piece and placed it in her pocket. “Hopefully, I wouldn’t forget about it in the morning”

The two chuckled at that, knowing full-well of the hangovers that they’re going to experience when they wake up. They then said their quick goodbyes and got into their separate cars with soft smiles. It was a tough time getting a bunch of drunk and sleepy young adults into a car, but that’s beside the point.

Luke waved at Willie and Julie through the window as he drove out. He took a glance at Bobby and Reggie through the rearview mirror. He smiled at how they were resting their heads on each other’s shoulders. Reggie was slightly drooling onto Bobby’s shirt, and Bobby was mumbling in his sleep. Luke has half the mind to just let them sleep in the car since they look so peaceful.

“Willie is taking me out to get hotdogs next week” Alex sighed from the passenger seat. He was resting his head on the window.

“Really?” Luke grinned. “That’s amazing, dude! You got a date!”

“It’s not a date” The blonde mumbled, sinking into his seat. “He - He just sees me as a friend”

“Alex, dude,” He gave him a quick glance. “I’m sure Willie likes you, and if he doesn’t see how awesome you are, then that’s on him. Either way, I’m happy that you found someone”

“Thanks, man” Alex smiled.

Luke patted his friend’s shoulder. “Just try to get some sleep”

Alex grunted and positioned himself into a more comfortable stance where he could sleep without getting any neck pain. Luke took one last glance at his bandmates - his boys. He still can’t believe that they performed at the Orpheum. With how many record labels have reached out to them after the show, things are definitely about to change for them. He can’t be more excited about it all. 

And he secretly hopes that the new friends he made tonight would still be with them.

\----

Julie crashed onto her bed. She could hear Willie help Flynn get into her own room without tripping over anything. Carrie was already passed out on the couch with a throw blanket wrapped around her, so he really only had to handle drunk Flynn. He’s truly a godsend for doing so. 

She grabbed her blanket and wrapped herself in it. She looked over at her nightstand, staring at a photo of her and her mother. It’s her favorite photo of them. Her mother was holding Julie in her arms, the two of them sitting in a meadow, having their foreheads resting on each other. Her dad had taken the photo a year after her brother was born. They had all gone to have a picnic at a local garden. She could still remember her mother had held Julie in her arms, her fingers running through Julie’s curls.

“I miss you, mom” Julie sighed. A small tear fell from her eye. “So much”

She turned to lay on her back and stare at the ceiling. The glow-in-dark star stickers that she had put on the ceiling softly lit up the room. Taking a deep breath, she buried herself more into her blanket. A melody of a song she heard earlier in the night occupied her thoughts.

_Don’t look down_  
_‘Cause we’re still rising_  
_Up right now_  
_And even if we hit the ground_  
_We’ll still fly_  
_Keep dreaming like we’ll live forever_  
_But live it like it’s now or never_

Her lips lifted into a small smile. The band she met was truly something special. She could tell that they were passionate about music just by the way they perform, but hearing them talk and seeing their faces light up when speaking about music just made her see how much they were made to make music. They’re so talented and she’s happy that they finally got a chance to make it into the big leagues of the music industry. She’s glad that she had taken the boys’ offer to hang out after the show. Not to mention that Willie liking Alex would definitely mean that their groups would have to merge. She doesn’t mind it, of course. She’s sure that Carrie and Flynn approve of the boys as well.

She remembered the small piece of napkin that Luke had given her. She sat up and went to grab her phone while taking out the napkin from her pocket. She added the number into her contact and decided to send him a text before going to sleep for the night - or morning. Yeah. It’s almost 4:00 am now. Man, she’s definitely not getting to work early.

_Hey, Luke! This is Julie. I had a great time tonight with all of you guys. Congrats on playing the Orpheum!!! I hope you don’t have a bad hangover when you wake up because I know I will. Have a good rest. Sweet dreams!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating! I was busy with finals, Christmas, and was finishing up another story on Wattpad (also, I've been playing Genshin Impact and I can't stop). I hope you guys still had a merry Christmas or whatever holiday you celebrate. We're entering the new year, and I'm hoping 2021 is gonna be at least a bit better than 2020.


	4. Funk

Julie let out a deep breath. Her breath became visible in the cold morning air. It’s been half a week since she went to the club with Sunset Curve. She had expected Luke to respond to her text message, but he never did. She guessed that he was busy. He doesn't seem to be the type to give her a fake phone number. He seemed to be genuine in wanting to hang out with her and her friends. So the only reason why he hasn’t responded would be because his band’s career is picking up and he’s busy.

Meanwhile, her own career seems to be going down the drain.

She looked up at the hospital building. It took a three-hour drive full of morning traffic just to get here. She’s glad that Caleb was understanding about giving her a day-off. She hasn’t had the time to visit with all of the assignments her college courses have been throwing at her. Add her work hours on top of that, it doesn’t leave much time for her to drive those three hours on the daily. If she could, she would spend her entire time at the hospital.

“Hi, Julie” A nurse greeted her. “She’s doing great today”

“That’s good to hear” Julie smiled and walked into the room.

The sunlight was coming through the large window. A woman who looked just like an older version of Julie sat on the hospital bed, admiring the vase of blooming dahlias that were placed on the bedside table. The woman’s right arm was connected to the IV bag, and a heart monitor beeped in the background as it kept track of the woman’s vitals. A sink was mounted on the wall, right next to the room’s private bathroom door. The television was turned on and an episode of the _Looney Toons_ was on. A clipboard with the woman’s name, Rose, and other important information hung beside it. In the corner of the room, by the window, was a recliner chair for guests to sit or sleep.

“Knock, knock” Julie leaned against the door frame. The woman turned to her, her smile brightening.

“Mija” She waved her hand for Julie to come in. “Te extrañe”

“I missed you too, mami” Julie kissed her mother’s cheek before sitting down on the edge of the bed. 

“How have you been?” Rose smiled at her, holding her daughter’s hand. “How is college? Your papa told me that you started working at the Orpheum. Have you seen any amazing artists?”

“I’ve been doing good. No need to worry about me. College is college. I’m passing _almost_ all of my classes. The Orpheum is great, my boss is strict though, and I love seeing all of the performances there” Julie answered all of her mother’s questions in one breath. 

Rose could tell that she was keeping something from her, but lets it be. She knows how hard all of this must be for Julie. Her sister, Victoria, has not failed to inform her how Julie has been drowning herself in work and study to keep her mind distracted. Ray has shared his concern over how their daughter has been quite distant. Carlos, her sweet baby boy, even mentioned that he hasn’t heard Julie sing when she goes to visit them. This just goes to show that Julie isn’t really taking the news of Rose’s illness all that well.

“Have you written any new songs as of late?” She hopes that this would give Julie a chance to open up a bit more.

“No” Julie shook her head. “I’ve been trying to work on that song you left me, but…”

“But you haven’t had time” Rose finished the young woman’s thought. Julie nodded.

“Enough about me. The nurse was just telling me that you’ve been getting better” Julie smiled.

“Yes,” Rose nodded. “The treatment has been going well. The doctor said that if I continue to get well, I could go home before this year ends”

“That’s amazing!” Julie’s face finally lit up with happiness.

“Yes, yes, but that’s only if this treatment continues to go well” 

“It will go well” Julie assured. “Soon you’re going to be back home, eating dad’s attempt of making enchiladas, and being there to take Carlos to his baseball games, and convincing tia that our house is not haunted, and… and going back to writing music with me”

Julie’s gaze downcasted. Rose took in a deep breath. She could tell how Julie so badly wants all of that to happen, but she also knows that she can’t get her hopes up. She has to stay level-headed.

“You haven’t written anything new, have you?” She decided to just ask Julie directly.

“I’ve tried,” Julie shrugged. “But it’s not the same without you”

“Oh, mija,” Rose lifted Julie’s head and stroked a strand of her daughter’s curly brown hair. “You know how much I love writing music with you too, but you also know as much as I do that music allows you to express yourself freely. Every song that I wrote expresses my passion and my love for you, your papi, Carlos, and your tia. All of you are my muse for writing.”

“And you’re mine” Julie hugged her mother. “I just don’t know how to write or play with the thought of you spending months on end here - in this place”

“I’m going to be alright” Rose kissed Julie’s head. “I just want you to recognize the amount of talent you have. I don’t want you to let it all go to waste. The world deserves to see what you have to offer”

“Thanks, mami” Julie pulled away, a small smile forming on her lips.

“Just promise me that you’ll continue playing music no matter what happens to me, okay?” Rose held Julie’s hand a bit tightly. She could see Julie’s expression sadden. 

“I’ll try” Julie sighed.

Rose pulled her daughter in for another hug. They then laid on the bed together, watching cartoons in silence until Ray, Carlos, and Victoria popped into the room. Julie’s smile grew as she watched her mom and dad listen to Carlos telling them about his day at school. The boy would laugh when he mentioned how he has also been scaring his tia with all of the ghost pranks. The hospital room that Julie has been growing to hate was soon full of warmth and laughter. When she looked back at her mom smiling brightly, Julie thought maybe everything will be alright.

\----

Luke yawned, pulling his hoodie up. Since their performance at the Orpheum, the boys had sat down the following afternoon (the morning was spent with them getting over their hangovers) talking to all of the record executives and figuring out which one to go with. They ended up making a deal with _Capitol Records_. They’re currently waiting on the contract to be finalized.

So while that’s still in the making, Luke and the boys continued on with their showcase tour. Every show that they’ve done so far has been amazing. Everything from the crowds to the cheap take-out food that they’ve been surviving on has Luke feeling on cloud nine. With that being said, there are still times where Luke finds himself feeling homesick. He misses his parents and wishes to tell them about the huge news of the bands, but fears that they still wouldn’t understand.

“Hey, man, you good?” Alex’s voice cut through Luke’s thoughts.

“Yeah. Just thinking” Luke smiled.

Bobby pulled the van into a gas station. They all got out of the car, feeling relieved to have a break. Luke, Alex, and Reggie headed over to the convenience store while Bobby filled the van’s tank with gas. Reggie went straight to the snacks, Alex had made a b-line to the bathroom, and Luke went over to the back of the store to get some drinks. Luke gazed at the various options until he found all of the Gatorade and energy drinks. He also made sure to get water because he could practically hear his mother’s voice in the back of his head nagging at him to remain healthy.

“Do you think this is too much?” Reggie walked up to Luke with an armful of chips and other snacks.

“We could do with less candy,” Luke examined. Reggie nodded in agreement.

“Shoot. There’s no more red ones” The two heard a boy mutter under his breath. He was looking at where the Gatorades were. Luke looked down at the drinks he held, sharing a glance at Reggie. The bassist smiled and agreed to what Luke was already thinking.

“Hey, little man,” Reggie called to the boy. “You could have this one”

Luke held up the red colored Gatorade. The boy looked at them with a questioning gaze. He took a step back. “I’ve been told not to take things from strangers”

The musicians smiled. Smart kid. Luke chuckled. “Well, this isn’t really ours since we haven’t bought it yet, and we don’t shoplift. So really, you’ll still buy it yourself. We just picked it off the shelf”

The boy thought about it and nodded. “You make a good point. Alright”

Luke passed the drink to the boy. He said a quick thanks as he went to the cash register. Reggie commented that the kid was adorable. Luke just chuckled and the two made their way to the register. Alex soon joined them.

They paid for their things and went back out. Bobby had already finished filling up the van and was just waiting for them inside the vehicle. Luke had noticed the boy walking along the side of the store, running toward someone.

“Carlos! I told you not to run if your shoes are untied” A familiar voice called out to the boy. Luke paused in his steps.

“Julie?”

The young woman looked up from her brother’s direction. Her eyes widened slightly the moment she met Luke’s gaze. “Luke?”

“ _What are you doing here?_ ” They asked each other.

Laughing, Julie gestured for Luke to answer first. He smiled at her. “The boys and I are on our way to our next showcase”

“We’ve decided to sign with Capitol Records” Reggie chimed in. 

“That’s awesome,” Julie grinned.

“Yeah, and sorry for not responding to your text” Luke scratched the back of his neck. “I’ve been meaning to, it’s just -

“Our schedule has been keeping us busy so it’s nice to have a little break” Alex finished his friend’s thought.

“It’s fine. I get it” Julie nodded. “I happy for you guys”

“Thanks” Luke breathed. He was worried that she would be upset for ignoring her like that. He had actually planned on responding to her as soon as he got to the van. He hadn’t expected to see her. “So what are you doing all the way up here?”

“We’re visiting our mom” Carlos answered before Julie could open her mouth. “She’s staying at the hospital down the street”

“Carlos” Julie slapped his shoulder, giving him a look to shut up.

Luke looked at Alex and Reggie. The three didn’t know what to say. It’s clear that Julie didn’t want to tell them that detail. They don’t blame her, since they’re still technically strangers. Luke could only think that this has to do with that “funk” Carrie had mentioned. 

“Well, we hope that she gets better” Alex was the first to speak.

“Thanks and she is” Julie cleared her throat. “Well, if you excuse us, we better get going”

“Of course, uh” Luke took a step toward her. “I’ll make sure to text or call you when I get the chance”

“It’s fine if you don’t. You guys are busy and I get it” Julie smiled.

“Yeah but I still liked hanging out with you so…” He stopped before he could say something that would come off as creepy. Julie just giggled and nodded her head.

“Alright” She pulled Carlos to her side. “See you guys”

“See you” They waved, watching the pair of siblings walking out of the gas station. 

“He’s falling for her, isn’t he?” Reggie smirked.

“Hard to say. He has that puppy-love look, but he’s more attracted to musical talent and we haven’t seen what she’s fully capable of so I’m going to say he likes her” Alex crossed his arms.

“We barely know each other” Luke shook his head and walked off to the van.

“He’s definitely going to text her when we get to the next light” Alex looked at Reggie.

“I say that he’ll do it before we even get out of here” Reggie chuckled. “Wanna bet five bucks?”

“Deal”

Reggie won that bet. The moment Bobby had pulled out of the station, Luke had pulled out his phone. Alex and Reggie had leaned over their friend’s seat to see him pull up Julie’s contact and start to write a text. Alex muttered something about giving Luke too much credit while handing the money to Reggie.

Luke didn’t care to notice what his friends were up to. He was too focused on figuring out what exactly to message Julie. He figured he could just say how he’s glad to have bumped into her. He was a bit shocked to have gotten a quick response.

**Julie:** _It was nice seeing you too. Carlos just told me that you gave him the last red gatorade so thanks for feeding his sugar addiction_

Luke chuckled.

_You’re welcome. The boy needs the energy_

**Julie:** _You clearly don't have any siblings to know just how annoying they can be, especially when they have a sugar rush_

_I have my boys and you clearly have never seen Reggie after trick-or-treating_

**Julie:** _I raise you sugar-high Reggie and give you drunk Flynn_

_Lol Looks like our best friends are both crazy_

They continued to go back and forth. The smitten look on their friend’s face didn’t go unnoticed by the rest of the band. They didn’t say anything. They only shared knowing looks to one another. It seemed that they would be seeing more of Julie in the near future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll figure out a schedule for this story's updates once I see how my schedule looks like on Monday


	5. Dream Box

Luke mindlessly strummed his guitar. It’s been a month since Sunset Curve has finished their showcase tour. The band has been officially signed to _Capitol Records_. They have a manager now and have their own recording studio. They’re even working on new promotions. He couldn’t be happier. 

The only problem is that they haven’t had a break in a while. He missed playing video games and goofing off with the boys. But at the same time, he also enjoyed spending all this time on their music. Plus, he’s also been able to spend a little time with Julie and her friends.

All of their little hangouts have been fun. They would all go out for drinks or coffee when they have free time. They even had gotten to the point of sharing addresses now. So far, the boys have only been able to invite Julie and her friends over to their shared apartment and have only been able to drop off Julie and her group at their place. The only two who had been at the girl’s place officially are Alex and Bobby. Luke is slightly jealous of it.

“Flynn is throwing a house party for Valentine's Day tomorrow” Alex walked into the studio and plumped himself down on the sofa. “She wants us to help her set up”

“Alright” Luke nodded his head, doing his best to keep his excitement hidden. He finally gets to go into their home!

“Is Julie going to be making those delicious cookies she brought us last time?” Reggie asked. Alex nodded. Reggie whispered out a ‘yes’ and fell to the seat next to Bobby. The boys chuckled at their friend’s excitement for Julie’s pastries. 

Luke shook his head and went back to playing his guitar. There’s a song in his head, but he can’t quite get it right. He wonders if he could ask Julie for some opinions. She rarely shows him her songs but has shown him about three. Granted, they were for an assignment for her songwriting class, but he thinks that all three are absolutely amazing. He wishes that she’ll write a full song with him one day.

\----

Julie closed her pen and took the piece of notebook paper and put it into the box her mother gave her when she was a child. It had become a habit of hers to fill the box with lyrics or unfinished songs that she isn’t able to get out of her head. She calls it her dream box, and it is one of her most prized possessions to the point that everyone in her life knows never to touch it. The only person that has access to her box is her mother, and that’s because her mom is the one that usually helps her with songs, but even Rose knows when to give her daughter some space so she doesn’t go through it. Recently, though, Julie has been filling that box more with lyrics for songs that will probably never be finished.

“Julieeeee!” Flynn called. Julie smiled and walked out to the living room. Flynn was sitting upside down on the sofa, watching t.v. and was hanging up the phone call she was just on. She smiled when she noticed her best friend enter the room. “Alex said that the boys can help us with the party tomorrow”

“Did they offer or did you threaten them?” Julie smiled.

“I would never threaten my favorite band to do something for me” Flynn flipped herself so she could sit upright. Julie rolled her eyes, knowing that Flynn most likely used - what Julie likes to call - her ‘manager voice’ when talking to the boys.

Julie walked over to the kitchen to tidy up a bit. It’s the first time Reggie and Luke are going to be here, so she wants to make a good impression. She never expected to become such good friends with the band in all honesty. She had thought that they were only going to be a once-in-the-lifetime interaction. She’s glad that they’ve entered her life because they’re all generally good people.

“Oh yeah,” Flynn walked over to her. “We have to pick out your outfit so you can look cute in front of Nick”

“He’s coming?” Julie's eyebrows raised in shock. “And Carrie is okay with this?”

“Yeah” Flynn shrugged. “She said that they’ve been getting along recently”

“And she’s also okay with you setting me up with her ex-boyfriend?”

“She said - and in her exact words - ‘Why should I care about who Nick dates?’” Flynn grabbed an apple from the fridge.

“I don’t know” Julie moved on to clean the living room with Flynn following her. “I still don’t feel right about it”

Flynn squinted her eyes, a small smirk growing on her lips. Julie noticed the young woman’s smug look but chose to ignore it. There was an unspoken understanding between them. One that Julie was doing her best to deny while Flynn knew the truth. 

“Well, we’re still going to need you to be looking cute in front of _Luke_ then” Flynn’s smirk grew Julie froze in her spot.

“I don’t need to look cute in front of anyone” Julie turned to her. “I’m already cute”

“Obviously. I mean, we’re clearly way out of all of the boys’ league anyway” Flynn nodded her head. “But that doesn’t erase the fact that you and Luke like each other”

“We’re just friends” Julie shook her head.

“Whatever you say. I just think that friends don’t look at each other the way the two of you look at each other” Flynn shrugged and walked off to her room before Julie could even deny anything.

“What does that even mean?” Julie asked herself. She’s certain that there’s nothing special about how she looks at Luke. So what she likes staring at his hazel eyes and his crooked smile makes her feel butterflies in her stomach, and whenever their hands brush against one another it makes her entire body light up. He’s still a friend. He just so happens to have become one of her best friends in a short amount of time. Plus, his career is taking off and he’ll have tons of other people that will be interested in him while she’s still stuck not playing music.

She sighed and sat down on the sofa. She shouldn’t be worried. Her mom’s getting better. If this keeps up, her mom would be home earlier than expected and everything will go back to normal. Yeah. Everything’s going to be alright.

\----

Luke and the boys arrived at Julie's and Flynn’s apartment around noon the following day. They had brought the food, drinks, and decorations that Flynn had told them to get. Seeing how heavy the bags are, he wonders if Flynn just wanted them to be her errand boys. They don’t mind, of course, since it’s for the girls and they grovel on the ground the girls’ walk on.

“Your favorite band is here with food,” Bobby announced as soon as he opened the door to the apartment. Julie and Flynn smiled at them and went to grab some of the bags from the boys’ hands.

“Did you bring the stuff I asked?” Flynn started to go through the bags.

“Yes, and we also got the liquor you didn’t list but I knew you wanted” Alex smiled.

“You are an angel, Alex Mercer” Flynn gave him a side hug.

“I know” He chuckled.

“This is a nice place you got here” Reggie glanced around the apartment. 

The apartment was quite big for a two-bedroom place. The walls were painted a simple white color and held some decorative paintings and shelves. There were houseplants scattered all around the place since Julie had inherited her mother’s green thumb. There was a record player on a stand with a basket of records and CDs underneath. A stereo was also placed on a shelf with another pile of CDs and cassettes next to it. A bookshelf was in the corner of the living room, next to the balcony door, and it stored many of the books, magazines, and photo albums the girls had. The sofa was sectional and there was a recliner to its side, a coffee table in the center, and the pieces of furniture faced the entertainment system that the girls had spent many months saving to buy.

The living room opened up to the dining and kitchen area. A table of four was decorated with a plastic covering and a vase of flowers in the center. The kitchen looked like any other apartment kitchen, with its most eye-catching detail being the number of magnets the fridge held. Then there was the hallway that led to the girls’ rooms, bathroom, and storage closet. There were signs with the girls’ names on their bedroom doors. Luke thought that was cute.

“Alright, let’s have Julie, Luke, and Alex decorate the apartment while Reggie, Bobby, and I decorate the rooftop” Flynn clapped her hands. The apartment’s balcony had a ladder that led straight up to the building’s rooftop, which was already semi-decorated thanks to the landlady letting the girls hang out and throw parties up there often.

“How many people have you invited?” Bobby looked at her like she was crazy for having the party be both at the apartment and at the rooftop.

“It’s Valentine's day so I got couples and singles looking to mingle so get to it” Flynn snapped her fingers for emphasis.

“Yes, ma’am” They separated into their assigned groups.

Alex and Luke turned to Julie for her directions. She asked them to move some of the furniture so that there would be a bit more space open for the crowd that Flynn is expecting. Once that was done, Alex helped Julie with baking and cooking while Luke set up the other snacks and drinks. He would sometimes complain that he’s lonely doing the task by himself, but Alex would retaliate that Luke is banned from even stepping into any kitchen. Which is fair. The number of times Luke almost set their own place on fire by making a simple toast is too much for the average person.

“Hey yo, I’m done” Luke leaned over the kitchen counter to see the delicious food that is being made. Man, he's hungry. “What do you want me to do now?”

“Decorate the place to look, I don’t know, Valentine-y?” Julie shrugged at the words. “There should be tape in the drawer beneath the t.v.”

“Coolio” Luke tapped the counter before going off to search for the tape. He glanced around the space, smiling at the photos of the girls and their families. He felt his chest warm when he noticed a picture of all of them together from that one time they went to the beach. He didn’t expect them to frame it. It’s like they officially accepted them into their lives. He shook his head and refocused on the tape. He opened the drawer Julie talked about but found none. “Uh, it’s not here”

“I guess I left it in my room. Hold on” Julie wiped her hands on her apron, telling Alex to keep watch of the food. She then walked off to her room. Luke instinctively followed her.

It didn’t surprise Luke to find out that Julie’s room was much tidier than his own. There were a few posters on her wall of some of her favorite bands. He noticed two or three smaller house plants, a keyboard leaning against her closet, a vanity that had some polaroid pictures wedged into the mirror, and her bed had a few stuffed animals mixed in with the pillows. A lamp, a photo frame of her family, and a box that was on top of a notebook decorated her bedside drawer. 

The box had grabbed the guitarist’s attention. The box didn’t look anything special. It was white with a flower pattern painted on it. It looked like any other box you could find at Walmart or Target. Yet something drew him to it. He was about to open it when -

“Don’t touch that” Julie stood in front of him in an instant, tape in hand.

“What’s in it?” He looked at the box again.

“It’s none of your business” She crossed her arms.

“Oh. Girl stuff” He nodded his head. She squinted her eyes at him and shook her head. 

“Whatever. Just know that it’s off-limits, just as the rest of my room” She dragged him out and closed the door behind her.

“Got it” He smiled and took the tape from her. Judging from the way she was acting, there was definitely more to that box than what she lets on. He’s half-certain that there is girl stuff in there, but she would have just told him that without being all defensive. So she’s hiding something from him, and if there’s something Luke dislikes, it’s his loved ones keeping secrets from him.

He knows secrets are necessary at times. He also knows that it’s completely valid of Julie not wanting to tell him something, since they’ve been friends for only a month now. However, he has been feeling like he and Julie have this… connection. They’ve been getting along well and have been telling each other everything. He’s told her about his situation with his parents, and she’s starting to confide in him about his mom, so having her keep a secret from him just feels off.

He decided to shrug it off for now. He could ask her about it at the party. If she doesn’t want to tell him, he’ll do his best to not push her. His curiosity can sometimes get the better of him and he doesn’t want to lose her trust. He also hopes that he’ll be able to have at least one dance with her tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided to update this story every other Sunday because exams (psych is fun)


	6. Boundaries

This was the first time the boys have ever seen the girls’ apartment so full. Then again, this is the first time house party of theirs that the boys have been invited to. They were mostly shocked over the fact that Flynn had invited other music artists that the boys have met. They guess that she had made connections with these bands during their own house parties.

“I hope your neighbors don’t get mad over the noise” Luke appeared beside Julie in the kitchen. She was currently refilling the ice for the beers. He had noticed how a bunch of guys had been staring at her from the moment they entered. He didn’t blame them, since she did look amazing in that blue dress of hers, but he hated that their stares lasted longer than a second. It didn’t help that their smirks clearly told him that they were not thinking purely of her. So he glared at them before walking up to her, sending a message to those guys to not even dare glance her way again.

“It’ll be fine” She shrugged. “Most of them are around our age so we invite them. I saw some of them go up to the roof”

“That’s cool. I wish my neighbors were chill with parties” Luke sighed. “They’re all old people so we had to be careful with what time we practice. Oh, but most of them are cool. Like Gladys. I’m in her book club”

Julie looked at him with her eyebrows raised. “You - Mr. Rock and Roll - are in a book club?”

“Yolanda makes good enchiladas” He shrugged.

“Better than mine?” She crossed her arms.

“Sorry to break it to you, but yeah” He smirked. “But the rest of her cooking is nothing compared to yours”

“Hm. You’re lucky you’re cute” She squinted her eyes at him. The two laughed.

“Julie! Julie!” Reggie ran into the room. “Oh hey Luke”

Luke chuckled. It’s clear that his friend had gotten tipsy. “‘Sup man”

“Julie!” Reggie turned back to the girl.

“What?” She smiled at him.

“Who’s that girl hanging out with Carrie and Flynn?” He gestured toward a girl in a purple dress.

“Oh. That’s Kayla” Julie turned back to the boy. “She’s Carrie’s best friend and is in the same band as her”

“Does she like guys that play bass?” He smirked.

Julie giggled, “I don’t know. Her last girlfriend played guitar, so I guess she’s a rocker”

“Wait. She likes girls?” Reggie looked worried for a second.

“She’s bisexual, so she likes both guys and girls” Julie explained. His eyes widened, looking shocked over the term. She guessed that this was the first time he’s heard of it. “You could talk to her if you have any questions. She’s quite open about her sexuality”

“Cool. I might just do that” He walked off.

Julie finished doing her task and leaned back onto the counter with her arms crossed. She smiled while looking at Reggie talking to Kayla. Luke stood beside her, sipping on his beer. 

“I hope he could finally clear his mind about all that stuff now,” Luke smiled. Julie glanced at him, a bit confused as to what he was talking about. “Reggie’s been struggling with his sexuality recently, but he doesn’t exactly talk about it whenever we bring the subject up. So I hope that Kayla could help him. Sorry if that makes you uncomfortable”

“It’s cool. I never really asked about all of your sexualities anyway. I just figured all of you weren’t straight” Julie smiled.

“How’d you figure that out?”

“The way you guys looked at Willie when I introduced him didn’t scream ‘I’m only into girls,’ you know” She smirked.

“Okay, but can you blame us. He looks like a god” Luke looked over at where Willie and Alex were dancing with one another.

“You’re not wrong about that,” Julie nodded. Luke looked back at her. She uncrossed her arms and grabbed a beer. “So, what do you guys identify as? If you don’t mind me asking. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to”

“Well, Alex is into guys only. I found out I was pansexual while I doing research after Alex came out. We dated for a short time.” Luke explained. “Reggie is currently questioning the whole thing and Bobby… Bobby has been exploring his sexuality for some time now. He hasn’t told us anything yet, and I’m pretty sure I saw him making out with some dude in the hallway”

“Good to know” Julie took a sip of her drink. “Why did you and Alex break up?”

“It just wasn’t working out” He shrugged.

“And that didn’t make anything awkward with the band?” She asked. She figured that dating a fellow bandmate was taboo.

“No” He shook his head, smiling as he remembered the day they broke up. “I remember that after we broke up, we just went to band practice like normal. We even went out to get hamburgers, and when I accidentally spilled my soda, he just sighed and said ‘this is why we broke up, you idiot.’ Reggie and Bobby didn’t know, because ya know it just happened, so they were shocked and freaked out. Next thing you know, we’re banned from going to that Denny’s because we made so much noise and a mess”

“You guys are so weird” She laughed. He smiled at her.

“What about you?” The question left his thoughts, surprising himself a bit. “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to”

She smiled at how he repeated her words back at her. “Willie, Kayla, Carrie, and I are bisexual. Flynn only likes girls, so lesbian. Nick is the only straight dude in our group”

Nick? Who’s Nick? He’s never heard of this Nick-dude before. How come they’ve never mentioned him? Or maybe they did but he wasn’t paying attention. That’s probably why the name doesn’t ring a bell.

“Speaking of Nick, here he comes” Julie nodded her head toward a blonde boy that walked up to them. Luke noticed how she had bit her bottom lip at the sight of him. The young man high-fived and greeted everyone he passed by. He wore denim jeans, a white t-shirt with a black leather jacket, a pair of converse, and a silver chain necklace. He looked over at Julie, and a bright smile formed on his lips.

“Molina!” Nick tackled her into a hug. She laughed when she felt him lift her off the ground. Okay. Luke doesn’t like this guy. Nick put her back down. “It’s so good to see you. It’s been a while”

“Well, you’re always busy with all of the clubs you’re in” Julie playfully shoved him. “I almost thought you wouldn’t even show up”

“I would never miss a chance to hang out with you” Nick chuckled.

Luke coughed, gaining their attention. He felt a bit pleased that Julie’s eyes twinkled under the light when she looked back at him. “Nick, this is Luke. He’s -”

“Sunset Curve! I love your guys’ music” Nick grinned. “I had meant to go to your showcase but couldn’t because I was out of town. I was even listening to _Now or Never_ on my way here”

“Oh. Thanks” Luke relaxed. Why didn’t he like him again? He seems like a cool guy. Anyone who likes Sunset Curve is cool. “It’s always nice to meet a fan”

“How’d you two end up meeting?” Nick asked Julie.

“Bobby is Carrie’s cousin, remember?” Julie raised a brow. She laughed when Nick looked at her in shock. “Gosh, you don’t even remember your ex-girlfriend’s family members”

“You and Carrie dated?” It was Luke’s turn to be shocked.

“To be fair, we were constantly on-and-off and I really only met her dad” Nick reasoned. “And she would only invite me to family events when she wasn’t pissed at me”

“Makes sense” Julie nodded

“Why’d you break up?” Luke asked, earning a slight slap on the shoulder from Julie. What? It’s not like he shouldn’t know. Bobby is like a brother to him, so that makes Carrie family. And he’s protective over his family. Even if he doesn’t get along with them.

Nick shrugged, “We’re better off as friends anyway”

“That’s good to hear,” Luke smiled.

“Hey! Nick!” Someone called out to him.

“Well, see you guys around” Nick turned to leave. “Oh, and I love the outfit, Molina”

“Thanks” She went back to drinking her beer.

“He seems like a chill dude” Luke turned to her. “Very popular too”

“He is. We’ve been friends since high school, and everyone just seems to love him” Julie smiled. “He’s a guitar player too, and I remember a lot of girls would flirt with him - even some guys - but then Carrie would scare them off”

“I could actually picture that,” Luke chuckled.

The two shared a small laugh when Carrie came up to them, telling Julie that Flynn needs her help with something up on the rooftop. Julie let out a sigh and excused herself. Carrie then turned to Luke.

“Can you get me a pair of black flats that are in Julie’s room?” Carrie grabbed a handful of beers.

“Pretty sure Julie would kill me if I step into her bedroom without her knowing” Luke raised a brow. “And why can’t you do it? She wouldn’t kill you”

“Someone has to make sure the party here, and I’m not trusting you. I’m still not over the fact that you and Bobby broke one of my grandma’s favorite vases” She glared at him.

“Okay, but I apologized for that and I’m still paying your grandma back by mowing her lawn every summer” Luke followed her out of the kitchen. “And that still doesn’t erase the fact that Julie would hate me for going into her room”

“She’s not going to be that mad. The shoes are just right outside of the closet, so you’ll be in and out in a flash, and if she gets mad at you, I’ll explain to her that I sent you to get me the shoes.” She gave a drink to someone. Luke continued to not budge. She pouted, knowing full well that Luke - being a big brother figure - would give in if she does. “C’mon, Luke. Please? My feet hurt. These are new heels and I thought I would be able to last longer with them”

He frowned and shook his head, but she continued to whine. After a couple of more seconds, he sighed. “Alright fine”

“Thanks! I’ll be over by the corner with Kayla and Reggie” She skipped off.

Luke rolled his eyes and shook his head. Seriously, she could have gotten the shoes by herself if it was such an easy task. It’s not like he could cause so much trouble in a couple of seconds. Well, that’s a lie. He and the boys had started a whole paper ball fight in history class when the teacher was gone for just five seconds. Then, when the teacher returned, Luke had accidentally thrown a paper ball to the teacher’s face. His parents weren’t so happy when they got a call from the teacher that afternoon. Luke was not only grounded but also got detention. He didn’t really mind since he had some fun and was able to finish a song he was stuck on during the detention. The only issue he had was that he wasn’t allowed to go to band practice.

He entered Julie’s room, quickly scanning it for the shoes that Carrie talked about. He spotted them and grabbed them. As he turned to leave, he stopped when he saw the box again. The box is off-limits. He knows that. But so is the rest of her bedroom, and he’s already here. Julie is already going to murder him for going into her room, so might as well die knowing what’s inside the box.

“No regrets” He muttered as he opened the box.

What he found wasn’t jewelry or the stereotypical girl stuff he imagined that there would be. What he did find were piles of notebook paper that had what seemed to be song lyrics written on them. Songs that were nothing like the songs Julie has shown him. These songs were so much more. He particularly liked these lyrics that were on top.

_Yeah, you know who I’m likin’ way before I liked them, duh_  
_‘Cause you liked them first_  
_And if somebody hurts you, I’m gonna get hurt too_  
_That’s just how we work, yeah, that’s just how we work_

“Luke!”

Shit.

He turned around to see Julie glaring at him. Goodbye life. You were good to me in these past weeks.

“What are you doing with my room? And why are you snooping inside my dreambox?” She stormed in front of him, taking back the box from him.

“Okay, first of all, Carrie wanted me to get these shoes for her because she doesn’t trust me to supervise a party for a couple of seconds - which, let’s face it, makes complete sense” Luke began to explain, making some distance between him and Julie so that she doesn’t hurt him. “Then I saw the box and I - I just…” He sighed. “These lyrics are amazing, Jules. Why don’t you make them into full-fledged songs?”

Julie continued to glare at him. She was gone for a couple of minutes and returned to her room to grab a jacket, only to find Luke going through her stuff. Luke’s smile and happy atmosphere from earlier vanished. He now looked like a kicked puppy. Damn. She hates how she can’t stay that mad at him when he looks at her like that.

“I’m having a bit of writer’s block, okay” She sighed. “I could only write for my classes, and even my professors can tell that my heart isn’t really set on the songs I write for them”

“Does it have to do with that funk Carrie mentioned you were having?” He took a step closer. His voice was so soft that it made Julie smile a bit. She could tell how much he cares for her.

“Yeah, but it’s really nothing. Don’t worry about it” She crossed her arms. “Now, let’s talk about some boundaries. I can allow you coming in here because Carrie sent you, but that doesn’t excuse you snooping through my stuff”

“You’re right. Sorry. Please don’t kill me” He prepared himself to get slapped. Luckily, she didn’t slap him.

“I’ll leave you with a warning. Just remember to not do it again” She then gestured toward the door, signaling him to leave.

“Yes, ma’am” He quickly left the room before she changed her mind. Julie couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. Shaking her head, she grabbed a jacket and left her room.

Luke had gone toward Carrie and Reggie, while Julie went back to the kitchen to grab a snack. Knowing Luke, he’ll probably find a way to overstep her boundaries again. At least they don’t live together so he can’t go through her dreambox again. That’s a good thing.

She looked back in his direction. He was laughing while talking to Reggie. A small smile formed on her lips. She then glanced over to where Nick was. He noticed her and waved. She waved back, taking a deep breath. I should seriously figure out my feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes while writing I forget that this takes place in the '90s and I have to make sure that anything I write isn't any current slang. On the plus side, I relearned when the terms bisexual and pansexual were created because I forgot (I'm pan and I like learning/relearning some cool lgbtq+ history). 
> 
> Also, when JATP gets renewed for season 2 (and they better do) I hope to hear more of Sunset Curve songs. Like I want a full album of theirs. I just want more scenes of the boys in the '90s. 
> 
> Updates every other Sunday


	7. Midnight Talk

Julie walked into her mother’s hospital room with a new bouquet of dahlias. Her mother smiled at her. She was writing in her journal, only to pause so she could greet her daughter. Julie gave her mom a kiss on the cheek and went to replace the vase of flowers in the room. The older woman looked at her daughter with a kind smile.

“Those are beautiful, _amor_ ”

“They should be since I’ve been taking care of all of your plants like you asked me to” Julie walked back to her mother and sat on the edge of the hospital bed.

“Does that mean you have been spending some time in the garage?” Rose raised a curious brow, her smile growing.

Julie’s shoulders slumped slightly. “I haven’t been writing, just taking care of the plants”

“ _Corazón_ ,” Rose reached out to hold her daughter’s hand. Julie massaged her mother’s hands. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing” Julie shrugged. “I just still don’t feel confident writing while you’re here”

Rose nodded her head and looked down at the journal in her lap. Taking a deep breath, she flipped to the pages where she was writing. She tore the last couple of pages. It amazes Julie that her mother didn’t rip the pages. Rose handed the pages to Julie. “Here”

Julie looked down at the pages. It was a song titled ‘ _Wake Up_.’ She looked skimmed through it and stared up at her mom. Rose was still smiling at her. She stroked a strand of Julie’s hair. “I wrote it for you. I hope you’ll sing it for me one day”

“I’ll try,” Julie gripped the pages in her hands. She honestly doesn’t know if she’ll be able to. It’s been almost a whole year and she hasn’t touched a single instrument or sang a full song. The most she could do would hum it. Even if her mother is getting better, there’s still that fear of a relapse happening. But she has to try. Maybe if she does, her mom would get better.

That’s a childish thought. She knows that’s not how life works. She believes it does, though. Her mom taught her that anything is possible. So she’s going to try.

\----

Luke exited the recording studio. The band had just finished a meeting with their manager. They discussed what songs they would be working on next. He told them he had a couple of songs in the works, which they approved of what he has so far. All he has to do now is to get their approval after he works on it more. Once that is done, they can record the songs. So that’s exciting.

“Glad that’s over” Reggie rolled his head side to side. “If that went on for another hour, I’m pretty sure I would have fallen asleep”

“I told you not to stay up playing on the _Playstation_ all night” Alex sighed.

“Don’t blame him,” Bobby rubbed his eyes from sleep. “I was the one that just got that new _Final Fantasy_ game”

“Exactly” Reggie yawned. "And can you blame me for wanting to play?"

“Whatever. It doesn’t matter now. At least we can finally head back home” Alex shook his head and went over to the van. They all got in the vehicle, minus Luke.

The guitarist was staring off into the distance. He looked quite pale, almost as if he saw a ghost. Alex looked through the rearview mirror to see what his friend was looking at. A woman with shoulder-length brown hair was walking through the crowded Los Angeles sidewalk. She had this sad look in her eyes as she entered a hair salon.

“Do you want to stay for a bit?” Alex grabbed Luke’s attention.

“Huh? Uh. No.” Luke shook his head and went over to get inside the van. “It’s fine”

Alex stared at him for a couple of more seconds before driving off. It’s best not to question Luke any further. He’ll talk when he wants to talk. If not, then they just know that he’ll visit his parents in secret like he always does. Then he’ll return back to their apartment and write a new song. It’s one of his many writing processes.

And that’s exactly what happened.

Luke left after all of the boy’s had fallen asleep. He took the bus and walked to where his part of the neighborhood was. A sense of both relief and regret washed over him when he saw his house. He knows that out of all of the boys, his relationship with his parents is by far better.

His parents are accepting of his sexualitiy unlike Alex’s parents. His parents aren’t fighting with one another every day and don’t hit him to the point of bruises unlike Reggie’s. His parents don’t neglect him like Bobby’s parents do. His parents love him. He appreciates them and loves them too. He really does. It’s just that they have these expectations of him that is the complete opposite of who he is. That’s where their problems stem from.

His parents expected him to graduate high school with honors, have grades that would make him eligible to go to this Ivy league university. They wanted him to get a degree in medicine or law, or anything that would guarantee him a stable job and lifestyle. They wanted him to have a 9 to 5 work schedule that would most likely require him to wear a suit and have him carry a briefcase. They wanted him to keep his passion for music to himself when his extended family came over. They expected him to behave around his rude cousins and aunt and uncle, who know nothing of music. 

What they didn’t expect him to do was to drop out of school to focus on the band. They didn’t think about how much music meant to him. They hadn’t bothered to look at his lyrics or go to any of his shows. They never noticed how hurt and angry he felt whenever his aunt or uncle would degrade him for not being a proper Christian boy. They never bothered to listen to what he had to say. They just wanted him to do what he was told with no questions asked.

Then there was the fact his mom would keep pressuring him to leave the band. She constantly grounded him and tried to keep him away from practice, but he always managed to sneak out of the house to do so. It wasn’t until she gave one of his favorite guitars to _Goodwill_ that he broke. He remembers that day well.

It was Christmas Eve and his family were getting ready to have dinner with his aunt and uncle. He had planned to skip to hang out with the boys, but his guitar was nowhere to be seen. His mom told him that she donated it, and that opened up a can of worms that no one wanted. They argued about everything and anything. From how he is supposedly throwing his life away for some “stupid” band to how she is being a terrible mother for being unsupported of his dreams. That was the day he ran away from home for good.

Bobby has always been nice enough to lend the boys his parents’ garage as a place to stay. His parents didn’t really much care if they stayed there. Hell, they didn’t even notice that Bobby slept there too since they were too busy with anything that wasn’t Bobby. So the garage was their home until they were able to afford their own place. 

He never gave his parents his new address, but he wrote them a letter that told them that he got a place more in the city so there was no need for all of those missing person’s posters that he saw everywhere. He didn’t want them to see them until he and the boys were successful enough to get a bigger apartment. He planned to reconcile with them after the band was famous enough that they appear on television and on billboards. That way his parents could see that this “stupid” band he cared so much about was worth something. But that didn’t stop him from sneaking visits to see them.

Luke knelt down in one of his mom’s rose bushes. He could see his dad sitting on his recliner, dozing off as the news played on the television. His mom was knitting on the couch, her hair looking a bit shorter than he remembered. They didn’t look worried or sad like the last time he visited. They looked a bit more at peace. That’s good. He got up and left. His chest felt lighter than before. As long as his parents are okay, then he’s okay.

\----

Julie parked her car at the beach. It’s late and she should have gone back home after visiting her mom, but she didn’t feel like it. She was still a bit emotional from seeing her mom get her treatments and having all of these wires attached to her. She knows that Flynn wouldn’t pressure her to talk if she didn’t want to, but she didn’t want to worry her best friend any more than she already does. She just needed a breather.

She got out of her car and began walking toward the sea. She took off her shoes so that the feet touched the soft sand. She sat down and watched the tides pull in. The song her mom gave her was folded up in her jacket’s pocket. Julie didn’t want to think about it right now. She just wanted to focus her mind on the cool breeze.

“No. I’m fine. Don’t worry. I just went out on a walk” A familiar voice could be heard in the distance. She turned around to see Luke walking while on the phone. It’s a cold night and, like Luke fashion, was wearing a sleeveless shirt. Does this boy ever get cold?

He seemed to have noticed someone staring at her because he turned in her direction. His lips broke into a smile at the sight of her. She returned the gesture and waved at him. 

“I’ll be home in a bit. Talk to you later” He hung up the phone call and walked over to her. “What are you doing all the way out here?”

“Just getting some fresh air” She breathed out. “You?”

“Same” He sat down next to her.

A comfortable silence washed over them. Luke played with the sand around him while Julie stared at the starry sky. A tide came in, almost reaching their feet.

“I visited my mom today” Julie spoke.

“How is she doing?” He turned to her.

“She’s getting better” She stared back at the sea. “She wrote me a song”

“That’s cool” He smiled.

“Yeah” She brought her knees to her chest. “I just don’t know if I’ll be able to play it”

Her voice came out as a whisper. She had her arms wrapped around her legs in a hug. For the short time he has known her, she has never looked so small and vulnerable until now. Julie has always radiated confidence. She knows that she’s a talented musician, and there’s no doubt in Luke’s mind that she is (even if he has never heard her actually sing something). She’s a talented songwriter. Plus, from what he had heard her play, he could tell that she could shred on the piano.

“I ran away from home” He blurted out. She looked at him with wide eyes. It was now his turn to gaze at the sea. “My parents never supported my music career, so I left. Don’t get me wrong, though, I love my parents and I know they just want the best for me. But what they want isn’t what I want. So I left. I haven’t talked to them in good while now”

“I’m sorry” Julie slumped.

“Don’t be” He smiled. “Their rejection just makes me want to try harder. I want to prove to not only them, but to everyone who looked down on us that our music is worth it. I want my parents to one day see me and be proud of what I accomplished. That’s one of the many things that inspires me to write and perform”

“Yeah, but I’m not like you or the guys” Julie gazed down. “My inspiration comes from my mom and everyday she’s in the hospital is just another day when I fear the worst. I know I shouldn’t worry since she’s getting better, but that fear just won’t go away. She was the one that got me into music, so without her… I don’t know what I’ll do”

“Julie,” Luke placed his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him. “Your mom will always be with you. She’ll always be your inspiration. Just like how I have my memories with my parents, you’ll still have your memories with your mom. She’s getting better, Jules. Her writing a song for you is proof of that. And even if she wasn’t, she’ll want you to continue playing. It’s okay to worry about her. That’s natural. Just know that your mom is a part of you and your love for music will always be there for you when you’re ready”

Julie engulfed him into a hug, surprising him a bit. He heard her sniffle. The tears she was trying to drown had come up to the surface. He relaxed and wrapped his arms around her.

“Thank you” She pulled away to wipe away her tears. “I honestly didn’t take you for an emotional guy”

“Hey, I can be emotional” He pretended to sound offended. She looked at him, clearly not believing him. “Okay, yeah. I surprised myself there too. I guess I’ve been hanging out too much with Gladys. She’s a therapist”

“Wow, so you’re in a book club with your therapist” Julie raised a brow.

“She’s not my therapist. I don’t even have one” He deadpanned.

“Well maybe you should”

“Hey”

The two looked at each other before bursting into laughter. Luke got up and stretched out his hand to her. She looked at him for another second. She could feel a light blush creeping onto her cheeks, and she was thankful that it was night. She took his hand and stood up.

“I’ll walk you home” He smiled.

“Thanks but I got my car” She gestured to where a red 1992 Acura Vigor was parked. Luke nodded his head, glad that she had a safe form of transportation. Los Angeles could be a scary place during the night. “So I guess that means I’ll be the one dropping you off”

He looked at her. She leaned her body to rest more on one leg and she had her arms crossed over her chest. “LA could be scary during the night. There’s a lot of junkies. C’mon”

She grabbed his hand and dragged him to her car. His smile grew when she had recited his thought. This girl really is something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My headcanon is that Bobby's parents were neglecting him which led him to be the type of dad that spent the majority of his time with his daughter while also respecting her space.
> 
> Updates every other Sunday


	8. Wake Up

It’s been a while since Julie visited her dad and brother. She’s been so busy with school and work that the only times she ever got to see them were when they visited her mom. They told her that they understand and that there’s no need to feel bad, but she can’t help but feel that way. So seeing the large plants that her mother had planted in the front yard of her home years ago gave her a large comfort. She smiled when she saw her aunt tending to them.

“Tia!” Julie called.

“Julie? What are you doing here?” Her aunt looked up from the gardening she was doing.

“Just paying a visit” She smiled. “Since when do you garden?”

“Since your father almost killed your ma’s roses” Victoria sighed and took off her gloves.

“Yeah. His green thumb isn’t the best” Julie chuckled. Her aunt stood up and walked with her to the house.

“Oh, I know” Victoria lightly laughed.

They entered the house, and Julie took in a deep breath. A light delicious and familiar scent came from the kitchen and filled the classroom. It was her dad’s famous tostones. The smell immediately caused her to smile. A warm feeling rushed over her.

“Julie!” Her brother grinned as he came down the stairs. She heard some dishes be put down and her dad was soon in the living room to greet her. “Mija!”

“Hey guys” She hugged them, making a mental note about how tall her little brother has been getting. This boy really needs to stop growing. He’s almost taller than her. He’ll probably pass her before she finishes college.

“You’re just in time for dinner. I made tostones” Her dad kissed her head. “Do you plan to stay the night?”

“Yeah” She nodded. “I finished all of my assignments this weekend so I can hang out with you guys”

“Aww. How sweet” Her aunt gave her a tight hug.

“That means you can help me with my homework” Carlos raised his eyebrows, hoping his sister would agree.

“You were going to copy one of my papers, weren’t you?” Julie smirked when she saw her brother’s face fall. Bullseye. She chuckled and ruffled his hair. “Don’t worry, I’ll help”

The night went on with the family catching up with bright smiles and laughter. Julie felt more at ease here, but there was one thing that was missing. The empty spot at the dining table was like a haunting reminder that her mother isn’t there. She knows that her mom can’t come home until the doctors say so but every passing day feels like another day of drowning silence in Julie’s mind. She wished her mother didn’t have to spend her days in a lonely hospital room with limited things to do. She wished she didn’t need to go to college or work so she could just stay by her mother’s side 24/7. Better yet, she wished her mother never got sick in the first place. That would make her feel like home is home.

The music sheets in her bag reminded Julie that her mother was okay. Her mom is alive and getting better. The treatment is working. Her mom is going to walk through those doors again with that bright, shining, smile of hers and give her the warmest hug in the history of hugs. Her mom is going to be fine.

The morning light flooded into Julie’s bedroom. The young woman stirred awake, rubbing the sleep away from her eyes. She checked her alarm clock.

6:30 AM

It was too early for her to be awake on a weekend. She’s guessing it’s because her body has been so adjusted to waking up at that time for her classes that she just has to wake up at that time now. It’s like high school all over again. How annoying.

She changed into some sweats to keep her warm. As she did so, she noticed the music sheets laying on her bedside table. She was reading the lyrics last night before going to sleep. She grabbed the pieces of paper. Her mother created another masterpiece. 

Taking a deep breath, she quietly made her way down the stairs and outside of the house. She headed down to the garage unit of her home. She opened the doors and felt a wave of nostalgia. Instruments and boxes filled the storage area. It was clear that her dad and Carlos haven’t been cleaning the place in quite some time. Her mom would definitely nag at them for that one of these days. Julie glanced over at the plots of plants that were kept at the back. At least they made sure to take care of these guys. Or maybe tia Victoria was taking care of them too?

Julie looked at the grand piano that stood in the center. Her mother was a well-rounded musician. She knew how to play guitar, bass, violin, ukulele, and her specialty was the piano. She was even the pianist of the band she was in. Rose and the Petal Pushers. Julie remembers listening to all of their music when she was younger. She remembers how amazed she was when her mom told her that all of the songs were written by her. Julie thought that was the most amazing thing ever. Even more amazing than any songs she liked back then.

She looked down at the song in her hands. She laid them out on the piano and sat down. Her hands hovered over the keys. She doesn’t know if she could do it. She’s able to play, but is she able to sing with everything she’s got? She hasn’t sung like that in such a long time that she’s afraid she forgot she knows how.

‘ _Just know that your mom is a part of you and your love for music will always be there for you when you’re ready._ ’

Luke’s voice sounded so clear in her mind. It was like he was sitting right beside her. She knows that it’s impossible, but she felt like his presence was right there with her. Almost as if there was a ghost of him inside the garage. It wasn’t a haunting or a creepy chill. It was a warm sensation. A comforting hug of some sort.

She didn’t know what came over her then. She just knew she started playing. The music surrounded her and it was the only thing she could focus on. Then she started to sing.

_Here’s one thing I want you to know_  
_You got someplace to go_  
_Life’s a test, yes, but you go toe-to-toe_  
_You don’t give up, no, you grow_

_And you use your pain_  
_‘Cause it makes you “you”_  
_Though I wish I could hold you through it_  
_I know it’s not the same_  
_You got living to do_  
_And I just want you to do it_  
_So get up, get out, relight that spark_  
_You know the rest by heart_

_Wake up, wake up if it’s all you do_  
_Look out, look inside of you_  
_It’s not what you lost_  
_It’s what you’ll gain raising your voice in the rain_  
_Wake up your dream and make it true_  
_Look out, look inside of you_  
_It’s not what you lost_  
_Relight that spark, time to come out of the dark_  
_Wake, wake up_

The sun was getting brighter with every second and she knew that the noise she was making was waking up her family and possibly neighbors, yet she couldn’t bother to care. She was finally letting her heart out. She was finally releasing her soul with this song her mother gifted her. Screw the early morning. She was finally herself again.

_Better wake those demons_  
_Just look them in the eye_  
_No reason not to try_  
_Life can be a mess_  
_I won’t let it cloud my mind_  
_I’ll let my fingers fly_

_And I use the pain ‘cause it’s part of me_  
_And I’m ready to power through it_  
_Gonna find the strength, find the melody_  
_‘Cause you showed me how to do it_  
_Get up, get out, relight that spark_  
_You know the rest by heart_

_Wake up, wake up if it’s all you do_  
_Look out, look inside of you_  
_It’s not what you lost_  
_It’s not what you’ll gain raising your voice in the rain_  
_Wake up your dream and make it true_  
_Look out, look inside of you_  
_It’s not what you lost_  
_Relight that spark, time to come out of the dark_  
_Wake up, wake up_

Her heart started to beat rapidly in her chest. A rush of adrenaline flooded her veins. A bit of sweat was beading down her temple. Her palms were getting sweaty from all of the pent-up emotions she was holding in. She could feel all of the butterflies in her stomach fluttering out. Any tiredness she felt when she woke up was completely gone. She was now playing to her heart’s content. Free from any restraint that held her down before.

_So wake that spirit, spirit_  
_I wanna hear it, hear it_  
_No need to fear it, you’re not alone_  
_You’re gonna find your way, oh_

_Wake up, wake up if it’s all you do_  
_Look out, look inside of you_  
_It’s not what you lost_  
_It’s what you’ll gain raising your voice in the rain_  
_Wake up your dream and make it true_  
_Look out, look inside of you_  
_When you feel lost_  
_Relight that spark, time to come out of the dark_  
_Wake up_  
_Mm-mm, wake up_

Her fingers left the piano keys. Her breaths were short and heavy. She did it. She sang again. Like _actually_ sang. Not the type of boring performance she would do for her classes. She actually let the music touch her soul again, letting it find all of the musical talent that was being pressed down and forced it all out. Tears fell from her eyes. She hasn’t felt this free in so long. She doesn’t know how to feel.

“Thank you, mom” She managed to let out in a little huff of a smile.

\----

Luke ran down the driveway of the Molina household. He didn’t even know that was Julie’s home. He was just taking a stroll around the suburbs after secretly visiting - more like stalking - his parents when he heard the sound of a piano. It was a bit muffled to hear but he was still able to tell that the person playing was talented. So curiosity caught the better of him and he soon found himself on someone’s driveway, taking a peek into that person’s garage.

His eyes widened and his heart dropped to his stomach when he saw that the person playing was none other than his friend Julie Molina. He thought that he heard what she was capable of on the piano, but this… this was nothing like what he had seen. This was emotional. Powerful. It was like the Julie he met had transformed before his eyes. 

Her voice was angelic. Every word she sang came out with every fiber of her being. The way she hit the high notes left him speechless. He felt his heart do somersaults in his stomach when he heard her sing the bridge. She looked absolutely stunning. The sunlight was hitting her from the back of the garage, making it seem like she was glowing - which she definitely was with or without the sunlight. He knew he was watching a magical moment. It was a very personal moment that could get him killed if she ever found out he was eavesdropping, but it would totally be worth it. He got to see a literal angel - _a goddess_ \- perform. Julie could kill him and he’ll still have no regrets in life.

Lightbulbs started to turn on in his tired brain. He was getting an idea. The songwriter was running back to his apartment at what seemed to be lightning speed. It usually takes him an hour or so to and back from his parents’ place. He made it back within twenty minutes.

The loud noises from the kitchen seemed to have woken up all of the boys. They each emerged from their respective rooms to see what the commotion was about (and to complain about it).

“Luke, what are you doing so early?” Alex yawned while scratching his belly.

“Yeah, Luke” Reggie slowly blinked. “It’s like… five in the morning”

“It’s about seven, Reg” Luke corrected. He was rummaging around looking for a pencil. His mind was running miles per second. He couldn’t think straight. “Where’s my songbook and pencil?”

“Uh, why don’t you try your room?” Bobby wiped his eyes.

“Of course! You’re a genesis” Luke rushed past his best friends and went toward his room. The amount of force his energetic self had seemed to have woken them up. The three boys looked at each other, confused, before following their friend. He had gotten his songbook and guitar.

“Luke, buddy,” Alex spoke softly. Luke didn’t look up at him. He was too focused so he only hummed in response. Alex licked his lips and clapped his hands together. “I-Is there something you want to tell us?”

“I finally figured something out. I’ll tell you guys later. I’m going to write for a bit” Luke finally glanced at him. The nervousness and curiosity Alex had vanished within an instant. Bobby and Reggie stood by the door, immediately understanding what Alex’s reactions meant.

Luke has gotten an idea. It wasn’t just a songwriting idea. It was something else too. Something that Alex knew was going to give him a headache in the future. Because God only knows what will happen when Luke Patterson gets an idea.

“Nope. It’s too early for this. I’m going back to bed and hope that the look in his eyes was just a dream” Alex muttered and walked out of the room. Bobby and Reggie stared at each other. It's probably best to let this all play out by itself. Who knows? Maybe something fantastic will happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We haven't had some willex in a while. They'll be in the next chapter.
> 
> Updates every other Sunday


	9. Meant to Be

Julie considers herself to be close to Luke. The two have gotten to know each other well and are great friends. Luke may be an annoying dork at times, and that’s honestly one of the many things she ~~loves~~ likes about him. He never really made her angry or anything. Luke was just Luke. The cute rock boy that reminds her of a puppy.

But now… Now she wants to _murder_ him.

Luke stood at the other side of her classroom’s door. He was waving his hand in a gesture for her to come out and talk to him. Her professor and classmates didn’t seem to notice him since he would duck whenever it seemed like they were looking in his direction. When she told Luke about the college she's in, she expected that he would at least text or call her beforehand so that they could plan to meet. She didn’t expect him to just show up out of nowhere. How the hell did he even find her classroom? Was he just wandering around the campus, looking into classrooms until he saw her?

She got up from her seat and walked over to where the bathroom key was. Her professor gave her a small smile as he continued the lesson. Julie glared at how Luke quickly hid so that no one in her class could see him. His lips lifted into that crooked smile of his when she appeared in front of him.

“Julie, hey, I -”

“Not now” She grabbed his wrist and dragged him out of the hallway and toward the building’s lounge. There were other students waiting around for their classes to begin. Some of them gave quick glances at the two before going back to the assignments they’re working on. Julie turned to look at him and gave him a small slap on his shoulder. “What the hell are you doing here? How did you even find me?”

“First of all, ouch” Luke rubbed his shoulder. “Second, this campus isn’t private property so I just walked in and pretended like I go here, and then just walked around until I saw you enter this building. I was going to walk up to you before you went to class, but I was bombarded by club recruiters. By the way, I didn’t know Nick goes to this school. I bumped into him when the lacrosse team -”

“Cut to the chase, Luke” Julie crossed her arms. “I don’t have all day”

“Right,” He led her to an empty table. He pulled out his notebook from his backpack. “The reason why I came here in the first place is because I couldn’t stop writing songs for you”

Julie’s anger vanished at that moment. He was writing songs for her?

“I have some that I’m hoping that you would help me write, but there’s this one Sunset Curve song that I figured you would like” He ripped out a sheet from the notebook and handed it to her. It was a song called _Bright_. She smiled when she noticed some doodles around the paper. “The boys and I were planning on recording it for our debut album with our label, but I can’t stop thinking about how perfect this song is for you”

Julie skimmed at the lyrics. His writing was messy, but legible to her. She smiled when she noticed how he had changed some notes and words that would suit her style more. There were even little notes that mentioned how she could sing certain parts. She looked up at him.

“Why would you want me to have this? This song is Sunset Curve’s” She asked. “Won’t the boys be mad?”

“I already told them about it this morning. They said it was cool” Luke smiled.

“But why?” She shook her head, still trying to understand why he would do this. “You guys haven’t even heard me sing before? Why are you giving this to me?”

Luke’s smile fell. He started to avoid making eye contact with her. There was a guilty look in his gaze. She stared at him with a suspicious gaze. “Luke, what did you do?”

“Okay, before I even say anything, I just want to say that I was not stalking or anything like that” Luke gulped. This only caused her to grow even more suspicious. “I was just walking back from my parents’ and I heard piano playing and then I - I... I somehow ended up at your house - like your parents’ house, I think - and saw you playing the piano in your -”

“You were spying on me!”

People glanced at them again. Luke gave them an awkward smile, and they turned away. He looked back at Julie. “Again, it was by accident. I didn’t know it was your house”

“Even if it wasn’t, it’s still bad to just go up to someone’s house and spy into their garage” Julie snared. “What if some of my neighbors saw you and thought you were suspicious? Or worse. My dad could have seen you. Then, you would have been dead right then and there”

“You make a valid argument” Luke nodded. Julie rolled her eyes. He clearly didn’t think that through. “But hey,” He tapped her shoulder. “At least I would have died knowing I got to hear your amazing voice”

Julie felt her cheeks redden. She’s heard people compliment her voice multiple times before. This shouldn’t be any different, but it is. It’s because _Luke_ is the one complimenting her. She shook her hand and handed the paper back to him. “Look, I can’t talk about this right now”

“But Julie -”

“This is my last class of the day” She got up. “Wait for me at the cafe down the block. We’ll talk then”

Luke burst into a smile again. For a second there, he thought she was going to reject him. He nodded and watched her walk back to her class.

“You got the voice of an angel, Jules!” He called out to her, gaining some attention from the surrounding students. Julie froze for a second before sending him a glare. He chuckled in response.

He packed up his things and made his way out of the college campus. He doesn’t know how to describe it, but he just has this feeling that Julie is meant to sing his songs. He’s never had this rush of inspiration before. It terrifies him yet excites him at the same time. He hopes she agrees with him.

\----

Alex smiled as he watched Willie skate around the ramps of the park. The long-haired young man waved at him mid-air. Alex lifted the two cups of ice-coffee he had gotten for them. The skater soon rode toward him, slowly taking off his helmet and letting his black locks free from their restraints. Alex will never get tired of seeing how his hair fell onto his shoulders.

“Perfect timing, hotdog” Willie smiled. “I was starting to get thirsty”

“Well I got your usual right here,” Alex handed him one of the cups. “Cafe mocha with whipped cream and chocolate syrup”

“You know me so well” Willie took a sip of his drink. “I guess that’s the perk of having a barista as a boyfriend”

“Soon to be former barista” Alex did his best not to panic over the fact that Willie just called him his boyfriend. That’s right. They became official a month ago and Alex still doesn’t know how it happened but he’s happy it did. Willie is an amazing guy. He’s so lucky to have him.

“That’s right” Willie nodded, taking Alex’s hand in his. “I’m going to have a rockstar as my boyfriend one of these days, huh. I have to prepare myself for the competition soon”

Alex chuckled. They walked around, holding hands and casually chatting. Alex was slowly starting to notice the judgemental stares of people passing by. He let go of Willie’s hand and placed his hand in his pocket. Willie took a moment to realize what was happening. This wasn't the first time.

There would be times where the two of them would be flirtatious out in public, being too engrossed in each other until Alex just stops. Willie doesn’t hold it against him or anything. He understands that people can be assholes and how terrifying they could be. Being anything but heterosexual still wasn't all that welcomed in society after all. Willie will never force Alex to do anything he’s uncomfortable with, so he just bumps the blonde’s shoulder as acknowledgment before distracting him with some random topic. Alex is really thankful for that.

“Oh yeah,” Willie glanced at him. “You told me that Luke is up to something. What’s that about?”

“Oh,” Alex sighed. “He wants Julie to sing one of our older songs. He heard her sing a couple of days ago and thought that the song best suited her vocals. I don't know why, since I personally never heard her sing, but agreed since I trust that idiot”

“Really? That’s cool” Willie smiled. “Julie is extremely talented. I’m sure if you hear her sing, you’ll understand that too”

“I’ll take your word for it” Alex gave him a small smile.

“Do you guys plan on playing that song with her? Like, have her be on the album or something?” Willie asked.

“I don’t know,” Alex shrugged. “Possibly. It all depends on her, honestly. If she just wants to keep that song for herself, then she can. But knowing Luke, he would probably beg her to play with us. Then from there, we would all have to see if she’s Sunset Curve material and then talk to our label”

“I think it would be rad if you guys did play together” Willie took another sip of his drink. “Even if it wasn’t for the album. Something just tells me that if you guys play together, something great will come out of it. Like, maybe fate has something in store for you guys if you did”

“You’ve been going through Caleb’s fortune-telling stuff again, huh?” Alex smirked.

“I’ve lived with a magician almost my whole life, it’s only natural that I could tell the future too,” Willie said in a matter-of-fact tone. “I could even tell your future”

“Oh really? And what does my future hold?” Alex chuckled.

Willie smirked at him and grabbed his hand again. He dragged him behind a tree. The skater knows that Alex would feel more comfortable if they’re in private. He grabbed the drummer’s calloused hands and placed a kiss on his palms. Alex’s heart started doing somersaults in his stomach. Willie is so gentle while doing stuff like this. It only makes Alex fall for him even more.

“I see a bright future with thousands of sold-out concerts” Willie kissed Alex’s knuckles now. “And you have dozens of fans that love you for you”

“You’re missing something in that future” Alex’s voice turned soft. He brought a hand up to brush back one of Willie’s strands of hair behind his ear. He leaned his head toward his, their foreheads touching. Willie brushed their noses together.

“And what’s that, hotdog?”

“Having you by my side” Alex felt the blush making its way to his cheeks. He always feels embarrassed saying stuff like this, mainly because he doesn’t want to scare Willie away by going too fast. Although, he knows Willie wouldn’t be scared off. He’s too nice of a guy to think like that.

Willie’s gaze softened. The blonde felt the butterflies in his stomach increase when he saw how much love the skater holds for him. Willie gave Alex a quick peck on the lips. One peck turned into a second one. A second one turned into a third one. Then the third one turned into one long kiss.

“Of course, how could I forget?” Willie kissed Alex’s cheek. “We’ll have a house and two dogs by then too”

“Can one of those dogs be a rottweiler? I always wanted one of those” Alex smiled, his hand slipping into Willie’s as they walked. 

“As long as the other is a rescue” Willie hummed.

“Of course both will have to be rescues. We'll be the ones to give them a loving home.”

The two continued to talk about a future that they imagine together. Alex never thought he would be able to find someone to do this with. Luke and he had only talked about their future as a band, never as an item. But with Willie, he finds himself doing just that. They may have just started dating, but this feels right. Maybe Willie crashing into him was just meant to be as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I seriously need more Willex moments in my life. They're so damn adorable. I hope Netflix does renew jatp so that I could see these two lovebirds again.
> 
> Updates every other Sunday

**Author's Note:**

> So I don't know if I want to make this multi-chapters, so for now it's a oneshot
> 
> Edit: I've decided to make it multi-chapter :)


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